Le Chat Noir
by Hanamaru
Summary: After graduating from Cross Academy, will their paths ever cross again? Will relationships stay the same... Rate M for later chapters, Pls R&R KaZe of course!
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters within this story. Contains yaoi, OOC and all the other things purists hate. Rated M for later chapters. Please Read and Review! If you have any storyline clarifications, ideas or requests pls send me a PM. _

_KanamexZero _

_Authors note: I was going thru withdrawal from lack of posting. This is the first chapter of my new fic. Don't worry I'm going to finish Moonlight before I really jump into this story. Let me know what you think, should I keep going? _

Le Chat Noir Chapt. 1

(The Black Cat)

By

Hanamaru

Kaname Kuran and Zero Kiryu prepared for their departures from Cross Academy in their respective dorms.

This place was an important part of their history for many reasons.

For Zero, this place had been home since he was ten years old. The place where he had fallen in and then out of, love with his adoptive sister Yuuki Cross. Their mutual crush, which had not occurred at the same time, had resolved back into the deep affections of brother and sister. The school was where he had wrestled with his demons both physical and mentally, and come to terms with the death of his family.

Although he still loathed his vampiric side and vampires in general, he had managed to live amongst them for years. They were now part of society at large so his tolerance and knowledge would be useful. There was still a need for what he was, a vampire hunter, and an extremely skilled one at that. Every so often a level E popped up or a vampire went rogue, and hunters were called in, a mutual agreement of the Hunters Association and the Vampire Council, to destroy them.

Kaname surveyed his suite of rooms one last time. He was eager to start his new life but at the same time he would miss the informality of school - the innocence that had still remained at the beginning. The noble ideas now come to fruition and coexistence was now the norm other than in rural communities.

His close followers who had supported him through all were now dispersing. Some to college, some to careers, while others, such as him, prepared to run their family holdings and take over. Here, he had seen the love of life, Yuuki Cross, be torn between himself and a lowly level D ex-human. He watched her outgrow her schoolgirl crush on both of them. He had always treated her as a little sister, and love and friendship remained.

He recalled how both Kiryu and he had been stunned when Yuuki announced her engagement to Aido, of all people. This is the one time the boys had looked at each other with amazement and chagrin, sharing the same heartbroken feelings. But within seconds, they had both smiled and exchanged a slight shrug, by far the friendliest encounter they ever had.

Graduation was now upon them, and they were all moving on. Zero would keep in touch with Headmaster Cross and Yuuki. Kaname would as well, of course, along with keeping up with vampire entourage. Neither gave any thought to the other.

The ceremony was over, diplomas were handed out, friends hugged goodbye or went off to graduation parties with promises to be BFF…

Aido and Yuuki were going to the same college and planned to be married during the summer break between freshman and sophomore year. The ceremony was to take place here, on the grounds of Cross Academy. Headmaster Cross would give the bride away. Students of the same graduating cohort would be reunited at that time.

Would they change in that one-year time frame? Return emotionally detached, showing up as a courtesy? None knew. That was to be found in the future.

Zero carried his suitcase out to the gates of the Academy having said his goodbyes to the Headmaster and Yuuki, promising to get a phone, contact them quickly and take care of himself.

He had declined a ride to town from the Headmaster, wanting to take this one last walk that would bridge the past and the future. He was ready to move on, to let the harsh memories fade and be replaced with new ones… hopefully happy ones. He was going into town to catch a bus to his new home, his new city, far from Cross Academy.

He had been accepted into a college with a solid reputation and planned to work on a MBA if he could afford it. The school was near a Hunter's Association training school. He had been accepted to that as well and planned to continue his training as well as earn some money by taking a few missions whenever class permitted. He hoped to get a job for the summer so he could afford to rent a place of his own along with autumn's tuition. For now he would be allowed to stay in the dorm at the Hunters school.

As he walked a limousine glided to a stop, a window rolling down.

"Would like a lift, Kiryu?" Kaname Kuran asked smoothly.

"No thank you, Kuran. I feel like walking today," replied the hunter dryly, without the venom his past words would have had. Over the last few years they had finally became civil to each other.

"I can understand that. Its part of leaving this place and moving on, is it not?"

"Yeah, I guess so" Zeros beautiful lilac eyes opened wider for just a second and then returned to their normal expression. He would not have thought Kuran would understand his emotions.

"Farewell then, Kiryu. I wish you well," Kaname sincerely.

"Thank you, Kuran. The same to you," the hunter replied politely.

Unthinkingly, they both smiled briefly at each other in camaraderie. In the old days they would never had a conversation remotely resembling this one.

The window closed and the limousine glided off.

"Kuran must be going to an elite college or taking over his family business full time," Zero mumbled to himself as he continued walking. Odds are that they would never see each other again…

…What was that slight feeling of loss he felt? It must have been from leaving school. Although, he was not usually this sentimental.

"I wonder what Kiryu is off to? He is too smart to be just a full time hunter, but with his insecurities that might be all the thinks he can do," thought Kaname.

That would certainly be a waste of the boy's talents. Zero could slice through the business world like a shark if he chose.

The vampire felt a faint tug at his heart. It must be from leaving school although he had never been sentimental in the past.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I have 3 more chapters written for this fic but if you want to throw an idea or a request my way I will try and oblige. The biggie, should I continue? There is no lemony goodness in the first 4 chapters but it will show up. Darn I can't use that dream thing again!

Love,

Hana


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters within this story. Contains yaoi, OOC and all the other things purists hate. Rated M for __**later**__ chapters (c'mon what's wrong with a little romance first!). Please Read and Review If you have any storyline clarifications, ideas or requests pls send me a PM. _

_KanamexZero _

_Many thanks to x3CAMden for Beta! _

_Authors note: This is the second chapter of my new fic. Don't worry I'm going to finish Moonlight before I really jump into this story._

_Sorry for the odd formatting I dont know whats up with that!_

_Hana_

Le Chat Noir Chapt. 2

(The Black Cat)

By

Hanamaru

_Zero  
_  
The bus ride seemed to take forever but Zero was used to hard travel from his  
vampire hunting missions. They were anything but luxurious and usually  
resulted in him being covered by blood, guts, dirt and sweat, along with a  
horrible smell.

His own vampiric tendencies had been resolved a year or so ago. A liquid substitute been developed and Zero found he could tolerate the new substance. That  
had ended his brief and uncomfortable reliance on Kaname Kuran, something he  
did not like to look back on. The intimacy of feeding had affected both of  
them and it was a relief when he could tolerate the blood substitute.

The bus stopped in the small hamlet that serviced the college, the local school for hunters', and the surrounding areas. The village and campuses were located amidst lush rolling hills dotted here and there with large mansions on many  
acres of land. Occasionally horses could be seen grazing, their immaculately groomed coats gleaming in the sun. Though the village was small, it held several high-end restaurants and clothing stores to serve the inhabitants of the mansions and the stray college student with money to burn. There was also an old fashioned general store, a small but well-stocked grocery, and a music store that sold CDs, DVDs and concert tickets. He hoped he could find a job in this small village but the odds were not good.

Zero left his suitcase at the stop where the Hunters' shuttle would pick him  
up and roamed around town briefly. It seemed pleasant enough. He  
totally missed the uproar he caused among the shop clerks, bank tellers, and customers.

"What a hottie!"

"That guy is gorgeous!"

"IWDH!" (Short for 'I would do him' without embarrassing yourself in a crowd;  
true story!)

"OMG I hope he's not gay."

"OMG I hope he _is_ gay."

The boy concluded his survey of the town and returned in time to meet the  
shuttle. Approaching the hunter school, he could see a large building on impeccably maintained grounds. There were a variety of outdoor structures for training in  
various scenarios as well as an Olympic-sized pool and track. He could see a  
few horses grazing and assumed that there must be a small stable as well. That  
pleased him as he loved horses and riding things were looking good.

He was greeted warmly but the staff at the training center. He knew many  
from the various missions he had been on, and the rest knew of him by  
reputation. He was given a private dorm room, cafeteria privileges, and was told he could stay as long as he needed. He knew he could always earn money by going on a few missions over the summer. They were risky but paid very well. He went to his room to settle in and perhaps catch a nap.

Although staying at the hunter school would be economical, Zero wanted to at  
least try being a regular student and live on campus.

_Kaname_

Kaname arrived at the main mansion for his family. Although they had  
holdings in many places this was considered home. He was taking on the family  
business full time, in addition to being an advisor to the Vampire Council. Although he had been running a great deal of the business from Cross Academy, it was a protected atmosphere and he needed to focus on international projects and politics. To this end he had decided to take a few higher level business classes at a nearby institution that met his standards and requirements. Pulling a few strings, he had the basic requirements waived and was taking classes of his choice in the fall. That would give him the summer to assess the Kuran holdings and to decide what areas he would focus on in the fall.

_Zero  
_  
After a few days acclimating to the hunter's school and surrounding area,  
the hunter decided it was time to look for a job. There was larger town a short  
distance away, but the transit system was sporadic and would limit his work  
hours. He had prepared a resume and decided to pass it out around the  
businesses in the village. He was willing to do almost anything as long as it  
paid decently and would work around his schedule in the fall. Taking hunter  
missions would be profitable but too chaotic for his school schedule. He was also determined to live a "normal" life for the first time.

As he walked through the village, he was surprised by the friendliness of the  
townspeople. They seemed delighted to meet him and engage in small talk to  
find out more about him. Per his natural inclination he steered conversations  
carefully away from himself and his past. Everyone he met felt that he was  
easy to talk to, intelligent, polite and a bit on the shy side, but adorably  
so. He had most of the girls and a few of the guys swooning. Finding a gorgeous guy like Zero who was also nice _and _smart wasn't all that easy in this small town. Zero was the total package and several set their hats to wooing the silver haired hunter. In his wake were murmured remarks:

"He has the most beautiful eyes!"

"His hair looks so soft..."

"He must work out, what a great body!"

"He is so mysterious..."

The local business owners seemed delighted to take his resume and promised to review it quickly. Zero returned to the hunter's school in a relaxed frame of mind. This new life was turning out to be quite pleasant. Here, he was not forced into protecting vampires. I fact, there didn't seem to be any around at all. He had wondered if he would ever feel for another woman as he felt for Yuuki in his romantic phase. This was a chance to meet someone new, someone just for him. Without competition from Kuran.

Zero smiled briefly, they had both lost out on Yuuki, to Aido of all people. The joke was certainly on them. Kuran couldn't have imagined that someone would choose another over him. The boy briefly wondered what the brunette vampire was up to these days. He sighed and pushed the thought away, he had a new life now and Kuran was no part of it.

A few days later, Zero received a call from the most expensive restaurant in  
town, Chat Noir, which specialized in Asian European fusion cuisine. This  
basically gave them license to serve whatever they wanted, give it a fancy  
name and charge astronomically for it. Zero had mentioned his interest in  
cooking on his resume, and thus, the owner of Chat Noir wanted to meet with him to  
discuss his abilities and have the boy cook a few dishes to test his skill and  
style. Zero was elated; finally, a job doing something he loved. He just  
hoped he was skilled enough to get the job. The pay was excellent and he was  
required to work only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 10 p.m. The  
restaurant was small and intimate so he could put a personal touch on each  
entrée. The café served dinner until 10 p.m. but stayed open till 1 a.m.  
for cocktails, coffee drinks, and dessert.

Butter browned in a pan while in another, broth was being reduced to a strong  
base stock. Zero was expertly preparing a fresh trout browned in butter and  
garlic while starting a base for French Onion soup. The owner of Chat Noir  
had proved to be interesting and articulate, he was well-travelled and had  
sold his considerable business holdings to retire in the village and realize his  
dream of opening an intimate fine dining restaurant. He found Zero to be intelligent,  
courteous and surprisingly, an amazing cook. The boy was quite good at  
creating new recipes and improving on old ones, but didn't mind sticking to trademark menu items. With study of past menus, there was no doubt Zero would quickly come up to speed. They decided he would start the following week and the summer would serve as trial period. If all things worked out, he would be a permanent part-timer starting in the fall. They both felt pleased with the arrangement. Zero spent his time the next few days studying the prior menus and recipes, as well as looking up information on the internet. He was excited about his new job; it was so different from being a hunter or student. A chance to let out the latent creativity he had deeply submerged.

_Kaname_

Kaname sighed and rubbed his forehead; he had been reading profit and loss  
statements, balance sheets, and acquisition documents all week and had a  
roaring headache to show for it. How he wished for something to break this  
crushing workload. Here at the Kuran mansion he was alone apart from the servants, and they would not dream of conversing with the master. Occasionally, his executives or those of other companies would come in person to meet with him, otherwise, he would drive to the closest large city with an airport, but these trips were few and far between. Usually, meetings were by teleconference or video conference. He detested these most of all; how could you get a feel if someone would make a worthwhile business partner if you couldn't sense their aura or determine if they were lying?

The vampire council relied on him much more heavily than he had imagined. It seemed as though there was never a single minute for him alone or with close friends. He missed the camaraderie of Cross academy, Ichijou, Kain, Aido, Shiki, Zero…

What? He _missed_ Kiryu? Kaname thought about it, he did miss the boy. Zero never sucked up to him, was brutally honest and never hid his opinions. It would be refreshing to have some of that now.

The brunette sighed and then perked up; he would have dinner in town. That  
would be a welcome break from this never ending paper puzzle, and besides, he had heard wonderful things about the new chef at Chat Noir, the village's premier  
restaurant.

He called for his majordomo and requested reservations for 9:30 that night.

________________________________________________________________

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Love,

Hana


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters within this story but I enjoy manipulating them. Contains yaoi, OOC and all the other things purists hate. Rated M. Please Read and Review_

_If you have any storyline clarifications, ideas or requests pls send me a PM. _

_KanamexZero_

_Thanks to _**ShounenaiFangirl**_ for Beta!_

_Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs and alerts they are greatly appreciated._

Le Chat Noir Chapt. 3

By

Hanamaru

Zero had only been working a few short weeks at Chat Noir but already reservations were increasing. The restaurant was small and, since the hunter loved to create new recipes, a new service was offered; on certain evenings, he would make custom meals with the diner's favorite ingredients. Clients phoned ahead with their list several days in advance when they made their reservations. He made one custom meal per evening and requests were already booked up weeks in advance.

Zero was also offered the luxury of a prep assistant. From 4-5 pm, he reviewed the night's recipes while overseeing the work of his assistant who chopped, ground, stirred and anything else that was required in advance. The pastry chef worked during the day, creating fresh pastries to be served that evening.

All in all, the boy was happy with the way things turned out. Although he received many kudos and "compliments to the chef", he stayed behind the scenes, never meeting the diners personally. It was so busy in the kitchen that there really was no time to spare on civilities.

This evening, the owner of Chat Noir had told Zero that a VIP was coming in for a late dinner. Evidently, his estate and mansion were the original fixtures in this area. The village and other mansions were on land, sold off by the original estate. The estate still had huge acreage and the current owner was fabulously wealthy and handsome although somewhat of a mystery. The handsome mystery man would be their custom diner this evening. His choice of ingredients was very sophisticated and included capers, lobster, saffron rice and wild greens.

The hunter was thrilled by the challenge and intended to impress the VIP; this would be easier than usual as certain dishes he had made for formal occasions at Cross academy had contained these same ingredients. As he recalled these were favorites of Kuran that Yuuki begged him to make for her handsome prince before Aido won her heart.

Kaname entered Chat Noir promptly at 9:30 and he was welcomed cheerily, but without formality by the owner, and ushered to his private table. He felt relaxed for the first time in days, the owner had seemed sincerely pleased to see him and did not fawn on him or seek his favor. The restaurant was small and cozy with a relaxed atmosphere and wonderful scents filled the air along with the murmur of pleased voices from the other diners.

The first dish to arrive was a Tapenade served with small rounds of freshly toasted French bread, still warm. Kaname found this to be delicious and somewhat familiar; he relaxed, further positive he had made the right choice in dining out tonight. Next came a salad of wild field greens and vine ripened tomatoes containing green and red leaf lettuce, arugula, kale, radicchio and a few edible flowers; begonia petals and pansies. This was topped with a fantastic warm hazelnut forest dressing which included dried shitake mushrooms and hazelnut oil among other luscious ingredients.

Kaname was astonished, the food was exquisite and vaguely reminded him of meals with Yuuki, Headmaster Cross and _Kiryu._ Yuuki and Cross were hopeless with food but Zero had been a culinary whiz and always cooked when others were invited for dinner.

The entrée was amazing; a Lobster and Chorizo Paella with Saffron and Squid Ink Rice. Kaname was once again amazed to find such an innovative and tasty menu, especially in a small village. He said as much to the owner who delightedly informed him that he had fresh ingredients flown in daily and that their new chef had mad skills. Kaname asked to be introduced to the chef only to find that he had left at 10:00 pm.

The vampire assured the owner that he would return soon for another fabulous meal and hoped to meet the chef at that time. Finishing up with an espresso, Kaname returned to his estate, content and relaxed. Yes, he would have to do this more often. The food was more sophisticated than at Cross academy but the undertones strongly reminded him of some of Kiryu's specialty dishes. Perhaps that was why he felt so comforted by the delicious meal.

The hunter was thrilled when the restaurant owner told him how the VIP guest had complimented his meal. Things were going so well it was kind of scary. He would be able to afford his tuition and buy textbooks. He was never one to worry about clothes and his few pairs of worn jeans would serve throughout the school year. It seemed strange at first to not wear a uniform but he was glad, one less reminder of Cross Academy, he would never admit to being homesick.

He moved into one of the dorms in late summer and happily was able to get a room of his own. There were four bedrooms radiating out from a shared living room, kitchen and bathroom. His roommates seemed OK, at least none of them were vampires. As far as he could tell, there were no vampires other than him on the campus. Probably the proximity of the Hunter's School would put off any vampire students. He was also the only hunter, again most probably went to the Hunter's School.

Zero couldn't remember the last time he had interacted in a society without vampires or hunters, actually never since his parents were hunters. He was learning a whole new aspect of society. Out of habit, he was still alert and on guard and was amazed at the naïveté and innocence of the other students.

He was pretty sure none of them had ever killed anything or been attacked by a vampire. They seemed unaware of hunters and vampires, wrapped in their cotton candy academia. The hunter felt jaded and old beyond his years in comparison. He was also unused to the constant attention he got from the female students and some of the male students. He had enough of shrill shrieking fan girls at Cross Academy and found none of his current devotees attracted his attention.

He felt more comfortable at the Hunter's School and went there almost daily to work out and learn new techniques. His class schedule, which started in a few weeks, was hardly challenging but lower division classes were mandatory. He had always excelled at school with very little effort and he anticipated the same, even at the college level.

Thanks to ShounenaiFangirl for Beta!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Love

Hana

Pls come visit me at


	4. Chapter 4

_ Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters within this story but I enjoy manipulating them. Contains yaoi, OOC and all the other things purists hate. Rated M. Please Read and Review_

_If you have any storyline clarifications, ideas or requests pls send me a PM. _

_KanamexZero_

_Thanks to ShonenaiFangirl _** for beta!**

_Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs and alerts they are greatly appreciated._

_Sorry for the delay in posting I have been ill for the last 5 weeks! I hope to be healthy soon._

Le Chat Noir Chapt 4

By Hanamaru

The first week of school was orientation; each incoming freshman was assigned a Senior or Junior student to be their "buddy". This person was to show them around campus and indentify the function of various buildings: the library, open 24 hours, the athletic/recreation facility, and the standard science, humanities, business, music/performing arts, etc. as well as the Student Union, also open 24 hours which had study areas, meeting rooms, computers, printers, copiers and several lounges as well as a small café, cafeteria and convenience store.

The school was small, only 5000 students, but well regarded. Your buddy was allegedly forever, or at least until they graduated.

The orientation started with a speech from the President, all freshman and new incoming students were expected to attend. There were several tables scattered around where you were assigned your "buddy" when the welcome speech ended. Zero cringed at both the speech and the buddy concept and wondered if he could at least get out of the latter.

Unfortunately, he couldn't and his new pal was an eager senior named Jonathon, call me Jon, Goodwin that would be graduating from the Business department in the spring.

Zero loathed him on sight but struggled to be polite. He was still very much a loner and would have preferred to continue to roam around on his own. He decided he would ditch Jon at the first opportunity but; until then, he would appear to be listening.

After a brief, painful, campus tour, they headed to the Business department since that was Zero's major. He was introduced to his academic advisor, who also seemed to want to be his buddy. The hunter felt as if he were choking, these people seemed idiotic, what had he gotten himself into? Perhaps he should have gone to the Hunter's School instead.

He excused himself to "wash his hands" which actually meant I am so ditching you, dude. As he scouted an exit for his escape, he was shocked to feel an aura, one that screamed "vampire", a pureblood at that. With hunter senses on high, he moved toward the presence while wishing he had his Bloody Rose, hunter charms would have to do for now. As he came closer, the aura seemed familiar somehow.

Using his pull with the Dean of the business department, Kaname agreed to attend the President's speech as long as he could avoid the campus tour. With the speech now over, he stopped by the Student Union for a capuchino at the coffee stand but soon became uncomfortable with the attention he was getting from the student population.

He could hear the comments with his enhance vampire senses. Evidently, they found him quite attractive but rather formally dressed for a college student. Some thought he might be a teaching assistant or intern of some sort. He had noticed that most of the students were in jeans, shorts or other casual attire. At Cross Academy, he had worn his student uniform most of the time and at leisure was usually in a casual suit or nice slacks and a dress shirt. He didn't own any of the "jeans" and "t-shirts" so popular with the other students.

Finishing his coffee, he decided to stop by the business department and introduce himself to his mandatory academic advisor. After a brief meeting, he left and stepped into the hallway and came to a dead stop. His vampire senses warned of the presence of _a hunter?_ He stiffened and decided to be cautious although there was no reason to fear, the hunter should not be after him. Could the hunter be attending school? Perhaps.

He continued down the hall and breathed deeply as he approached the corner. The scent was familiar but he couldn't place it. He rounded the corner and came face to face with Zero Kiryu.

For a moment, they both stared at each with surprise, somehow it was a nice surprise and unthinkingly, they smiled at each other. They greeted each other politely.

"Kiryu"

"Kuran"

"So this is where you are going to college, Kiryu?"

"Yes. Are you?"

"I am taking some specific business and political courses. Cross Academy was somewhat sheltered and I am now dealing with several international issues. What are you taking?"

"I'm working on a Business degree and I hope to go on to get an MBA."

"That is commendable, Kiryu, I have no doubt you will do quite well. Are you living on campus?"

"Yes, I'm in a dorm but I hope to rent my own place at some point. Do you have business holdings here, Kuran?"

"Actually, my family home is near here. The Kuran estate donated the land for the college many years ago. Two years ago, I donated the land for the Hunter's School."

Both boys stood silent for an awkward minute having exhausted polite conversation. Although neither would admit it, they were relieved to find someone else from Cross Academy, someone that understood vampires and hunters in this vanilla landscape. They had never been friends, and at one time had been rivals but neither wanted to walk away. Of course, neither knew what to say or wanted to admit that it was good to see someone from "home".

Finally Kaname spoke "Would you like to go into town and have tea, Kiryu? You can catch me up on Yuuki and the Headmaster."

"Umm…sure, Kuran, that sounds good."

And so, the two enemies started down a different path.

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_

_Love,_

_Hana_


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters within this story but I enjoy manipulating them. Contains yaoi, OOC and all the other things purists hate. Rated M. Please Read and Review_

_If you have any storyline clarifications, ideas or requests pls send me a PM. _

_KanamexZero_

_Thanks to __**ShounenaiFangirl **__**for beta!**_

_Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs and alerts they are greatly appreciated._

Le Chat Noir Chapt 5

By Hanamaru

They strolled off to the small downtown area in a surprisingly comfortable silence. Each pondered the situation; they were no longer enemies, or love rivals. Where exactly did that leave them? Their whole relationship had been based on dislike and distrust, but all that was behind them. This could be something different now; it was a different place, a different time. No vampire nobles to look down their noses at the level D. He and Kuran both had things in common now. They had both been dumped by Yuuki, they were once again attending the same school…but there was no separation between vampire and human or pureblood VS level D. Besides, Kaname had never really looked down upon him; they had a grudging respect for each other, even back in the days of Cross Academy. And, by reason of their vampire nature, they were both taking night classes and Zero had 2 late afternoon classes. He was OK in sunlight, but preferred to stay with his biological clock and sleep during most of the day.

They arrived at the town's small, informal café and were seated immediately. Neither noticed the drooling waitress and patrons, they were totally unaware how strikingly beautiful they were together.

"So, Kiryu" said Kaname smoothly "How is my sister and your father?"

"The Headmaster is fine" Zero replied in a slightly annoyed tone. The Chairman was so not his father. "He still loves running the academy. Between that at being head of the Hunters Association, he is very busy. Yagari-sensei helps him with both… umm, they live together." Zero said somewhat awkwardly.

Kaname quirked an eyebrow at Zero, something seemed off. "They live together?"

"Ahhhm… yes, they do" stuttered the silver haired hunter.

Kaname was both intrigued and puzzled. He knew Cross and Yagari were old friends and very close. "Are you opposed to them spending so much time together, Zero?"

"Of course not" exclaimed Zero, "They have the same right to live together as anyone else."

"Kiryu, are you telling me they are a couple, as in a romantic, relationship sense?"

"Well, yes, you could put it like that."

"I had no idea they were that close"

"Well, they just got together recently"

"I'm pleased for them; I hope they will be very happy"

"I'm sure they are" Zero changed the subject quickly; "Yuuki is the same, barely passing her classes. She wants me to tutor her long distance! I told her to get Aido to help her."

Kaname gave a small chuckle "Yes, she is adorable but studying is not her strong point. It seems you hear from her more often than I do" said the brunette ruefully.

"That will pass, Kuran; she is still uncomfortable with dumping you for Aido"

"Please call me Kaname. Well, it seems you were in the running too"

Zero sighed, "If I call you Kaname, you have to call me Zero, OK? Yuuki and I are what we have always been meant to be, best friends and adopted brother and sister." I got over that whole Aido thing pretty quickly, except it's _Aido..._ couldn't she have picked Shiki or Kain, someone who is not obsessed with themselves?"

"I'm sure they will be quite happy, Zero. After all they are very much in love."

They made small talk; surprisingly, they were both very relaxed. Knowing someone in a new environment was soothing. They both chuckled over Zeros experience with Jonathon, his assigned "buddy". They discussed school schedules and realized they would be on campus at the same time on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Zero worked on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Kaname was taking 3 classes; Zero was taking 5 getting basic requirements out of the way. He has always been very bright and the upcoming semester seemed very easy. He also worked out at the Hunter school almost every day.

"So, what do you do the rest of the week?" Kaname asked in a silky tone.

"I have a job at Le Chat Noir, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 pm" Zero replied easily.

"You do?" Kaname was surprised,

"Yep, I have to pay for my tuition and stuff. I was lucky they hired me and were willing to work with my school schedule. I could do some jobs for the Hunters Association but those might take me out of school too long. How would I explain it if I was injured?"

"I see what you mean. I had dinner there the other night, it was delicious. The owner seemed quite pleasant."

"Yes, he is. It's a great place to work and I've always enjoyed cooking. It was either cook or starve living with the Chairman and Yuuki."

"You are the Chef?"

"Yes, I am Thursday to Saturday."

"You must have made my meal last week. It was superb and it reminded me of some of the meals you cooked for the Chairman's dinner parties. It never crossed my mind that it was actually you who made it."

"Oh you must have been the special meal that night. Let's see…saffron, field greens, capers and lobster, right?'

"Exactly, you have remarkable skills."

"It's something I enjoy and the pace makes the time fly by."

"Perhaps one night you could come over and cook for me at my family home" said Kaname.

They both paused and looked at each other in shock for a moment.

"_Did he just invite me to his house?"_

"_Did I just invite him to my family home?"_

"Umm, well… sure Kuran, I would be happy to do that some evening." Zero said as he scrambled for a reply. _Crap, did I just jump at Kuran's invitation? What the hell?_

"Uh… that's great, Zero, perhaps an evening before the semester starts? And please do call me Kaname."

"That sounds fine." They agreed that Zero would come over the following Tuesday. The two said their awkward farewells and left, full of anticipation for Tuesday night.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Love,

Hana


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters within this story but I enjoy manipulating them. Contains yaoi, OOC and all the other things purists hate. Rated M. Please Read and Review_

_If you have any storyline clarifications, ideas or requests pls send me a PM. _

_KanamexZero_

_Thanks to __**ShounenaiFangirl **__** for beta!**_

_Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs and alerts they are greatly appreciated._

_Happy Holidaze!_

Le Chat Noir Chapt 6

By Hanamaru

Kaname

Tuesday evening seemed, at once, very far away, and yet too close for comfort. Kaname wondered what made the invitation pop out of his mouth. He also pondered why Kiryu… umm, Zero, had so willingly agreed. The brunette vampire was also a bit dismayed. He prided himself on his good manners and here he had gone and asked his guest to cook. On the other hand, it kept conversation from being too uncomfortable. He could chat with Zero while he cooked; perhaps even help with… mmm, something. Surely as a Pureblood, he should be able to handle a little chopping or mixing? Conversation would be light while they ate together. Zero would probably leave directly after, eager to get the evening over. Yes, it would be a tolerable evening. That feeling he had when he thought of Zero here in his home, the two of them alone, the servants gone. It felt like excitement, and there was that faint roil deep inside. No, probably just normal nervousness when thinking about an uncomfortable situation. He spent the weekend as he did most; working on business affairs. This schedule would leave time for him to attend and study for his classes without the pressure of tending to business concurrently. School would start the following week. On Monday night, he called Zero on his cell and confirmed their _date_ the following evening. When asked, Zero gave him a short list of items for the dinner he would prepare. The hunter would be picked up and returned in Kaname's limo.

Zero

Zero worked out hard over the weekend at the Hunter's School. He wouldn't admit it, but he was very nervous to have dinner with Kuran… mmm, Kaname. He was sure that feeling deep in the pit of his stomach was dread, not anticipation. Why had he agreed? And why couldn't Kaname forget he asked? The brunette vampire had just called to confirm tomorrow night and to see if Zero needed any special ingredients. He gave Kaname a short list and they rang off.

Tuesday

Zero

The silver haired hunter felt on edge but nothing showed on his face. If nothing else, he knew how to keep an emotionless expression. That usually kept people out of his way.

He pondered over what to wear. His usual outfit was a t-shirt and jeans, but he knew even Kaname's casual clothes cost more than his entire wardrobe. Dammit, he wasn't going to let that smug bastard get to him. He quickly chose his favorite purple t-shirt, a present from Yuuki. He had no idea what the color did for his eyes and hair. The fitted shirt also emphasized his slim but muscular form. His jeans were all wrecks; he couldn't afford to buy new ones. He pulled on the pair with the least amount of holes and called it good. He went outside to wait for the limo.

Kaname

Kaname thought about what to wear; his usual casual clothes were silky shirts in colors like chocolate, mocha or cognac. His slacks were fitted, expensive and usually black. Zero would probably wear jeans and a t-shirt, his usual garb. He wanted the hunter to be comfortable, but Kaname didn't own anything that wasn't designer and he hadn't ever worn jeans. Now that he thought of it, they looked quite comfortable and Zero always looked amazing when he wore them back at the academy. Really, really sexy and hot and that gorgeous ass...

_What the hell am I doing thinking of Zero like that?_

His breath came a little faster and he quickly turned to examining his wardrobe. Ultimately, he chose the most casual of his black slacks and the lovely cognac silk shirt that slid over his skin like music.

Zero strode to the front door and was surprised when Kaname opened it personally. They greeted each other a little stiffly and Kaname let him know the staff had the night off. "I thought it would more relaxing without the staff and we can eat at the table in the kitchen."

Zero smiled and nodded, "Just like at the Headmaster's house".

"Yes, just so" Kaname answered softly. As he thought, Zero was in a t-shirt and jeans, but he looked…delectable. That was it, good enough to….

_Hell, why are my thoughts drifting off again?_

"Would you like to step into the parlor and have a drink Zero?" the brunette inquired.

"That would be nice" Zero followed Kaname into a lavishly appointed room. _Just what Kaname would have,_ Zero thought to himself.

"Would you care for some wine, Zero? Or perhaps a beer? I have Kirin and Sapporo"

"Kirin would be fine, thank you" (Hana likes Kirin too!)

Kaname poured himself a beer as well and they sat in companionable silence for a moment, sipping the icy beverage.

Zero felt himself relax a little bit, so far so good.

Kaname had a difficult time tearing his eyes away from the hunter. Zero was like a different person. He hadn't threatened the brunette's life once and he wasn't scowling. Kaname had no idea Zero _had _another facial expression. He looked pretty… no, beautiful, with pale skin and brilliant eyes, he looked like a fallen angel. The things that his t-shirt and jeans did to his body should be illegal.

Kaname jerked his eyes back up to Zero's questioning gaze. Dammit, the boy had asked him something but he had no idea what. Fortunately, at that moment, the phone rang and Kaname rose to answer it. He spoke briefly while Zero continued to sip his frothy beer. Kaname looked at the foam delicately covering Zero's upper lip and his heart skipped a beat. How on earth could Zero look so innocent and so sexy at the same time? He hurriedly finished his call and switched the phone to automatic answer. "Sorry about that" he apologized, "Just a business call, but I've switched over to voicemail. We won't be interrupted again."

_Why did that suddenly seem important, that Zero and I__would not be interrupted?_

"Why don't you show me the kitchen Kaname and I can start setting up"

Zero followed the brunette vampire into the bowels of the house. He was already lost even with his keen hunter and vampire senses. They emerged in a huge kitchen with restaurant quality room and appliances. Zero wasn't surprised, he expected no less in the Kuran mansion. Sipping his beer, he idly strolled around and checked out the appliances, utensils and finally ingredients. Kaname was seated at table at the far end of the room sipping his beer. The table allowed a good view of the cooking area and was also within chatting distance.

Zero joined Kaname at the table; he wanted to finish his beer before starting. Once he was cooking, there was no stopping and timing was everything. "This is an awesome kitchen, Kaname"

"Why, thank you Zero, I know you're a professional so that is indeed a compliment"

_Why do I sound so damn stuffy? _thought Kaname, _why can't I just talk like Zero?_

_Why does Kuran always talk like somebody's great grandfather? _thought Zero. It made him seem pretentious. _Well, there was a time when I was positive he was pretentious__…__ why am I so sure he isn't now? _

"It's going to be a pleasure to cook dinner tonight"

"Zero, I want to apologize; I invited you over and asked you to cook when you are the guest"

Zero felt his eyes widen, _Kuran apologized? Was this some sort of freaky dream?_

"Ah…ah, that's OK, Kaname; I do love to cook so I don't mind at all. It kinda reminds me of dinners back home, I mean the Headmaster's house."

"Yes your father was quite kind to invite me over so often"

"He's not my father" the hunter answered automatically. "Let me get started, you can help."

Kaname smiled, this was the Zero he recognized; growling, scowling and giving orders to a Pureblood.

Zero had decided to make dinner; simple but elegant, and since Kuran could afford it, he had been a bit extravagant with ingredients. First, he whipped up a simple dough, dropping it on a cookie sheet. He had Kaname place it in the oven so he was "helping". This would serve as shortcake for the dessert he planned.

Next; he moved on to the salad; field greens (he knew Kaname liked them) with candied walnuts and dried cranberries. Sweet and tart, perfect. He had Kaname place the salad in the fridge to chill, along with the serving plates.

He and Kaname both enjoyed lobster so he dressed several lobster tails, intending to roast them quickly on the Jenn Air. He quickly clarified some butter and added a small truffle (no, the other kind) for flavor. Mixing some cornmeal, he made enough polenta for the two of them. At his request, Kaname removed the shortbread from the oven, setting it aside to cool, and replaced it with the polenta.

Kaname watched fascinated as Zero moved quickly and confidently. He was relaxed and seemed to enjoy himself. The brunette found his eyes following Zero's every move. The boy was graceful but strong. Kaname had to bite his lip to stay quiet when Zero reached overhead and exposed his taut belly and creamy skin. His eyes were glued to Zero's butt; surely, that must be the most perfect ass _ever._ The muscles rippled slightly, they were perfectly shaped. It would feel wonderful to slip your hands around the sculpted mounds as you held your lover up to…

When the hunter walked, he did so with an unconscious grace and a gentle sway of his hips. The brunette was eyeing Zero like he was a four course meal. How had he missed the sensuality that unconsciously enveloped the boy? His breath quickened and heat coiled in his groin. He felt the strongest urge to rip those jeans off and bend Zero over the counter.

_OMG, I am __fantasizing__ about Kiryu! What the hell is going on?!_ Kaname turned his gaze to Zero once more, he stood in stunned silence. _Kiryu is a damn sex god. Why did I__not realize that years ago? His unusual eyes and hair were stunning, his body was lightly muscled, there was no doubt he was strong but also quick and graceful. And his ass, that ass was made to hold while making hard, sweaty love. _

Kaname stood lost in his thoughts and his new insight. Zero looked at Kaname with a perplexed expression. _Why was Kuran spacing out? Was he bored already? He had thought the evening was going rather well._

"Kaname, are you ready to eat?"

Kaname jerked back to reality, "Yes and I can hardly wait to taste you- I mean, the food.

Dinner went exceedingly well; they both had relaxed a bit and were able to talk comfortably. The food was excellent, as Kaname knew it would be from past experience. For dessert, Zero had prepared fresh strawberries to top the shortcake, and a large spritz of whipped cream. Kaname looked at it and immediately began fantasizing (see whipped cream with cherries on top). They cleared the table and cleaned up together. Kaname assured Zero the staff would take are of it the next day but the boy wouldn't hear of it. He made Kaname dry as he washed the dishes. Of course, Kaname had no clue where they went so Zero put them away.

They moved to a small informal sitting room that was positively cozy compared to the rest of the mansion. Zero served them both tea and they relaxed in the deep comfortable chairs.

"That meal was wonderful, Zero. Thank you so much"

"I'm glad you liked it. It's more fun for just two than when I cook at the restaurant."

"The company was quite pleasant too" Kaname ventured.

The hunter thought for a moment. Yes, it had gone so much better than he ever expected. "Umm, I also enjoyed it. It was a nice evening"

"Perhaps we can do this again sometime? Or I could have the staff make dinner."

"No, this was fine, I would be happy to do this again"

_Crap, did I just say I would be happy to visit Kuran again and make dinner? _Somehow that idea seemed strangely intimate, but he found he liked the feeling. _I won't dwell on it; this was just a simple dinner with an old acquaintance. We both know very few people here, especially people that would understand vampires and ex-humans. It's natural we would be drawn together, _Zero reassured himself.

Kaname managed to keep his countenance neutral with a small smile, but inside he was doing cartwheels. _The game is on. Pursuing Kiryu without scaring him is my new pastime. _He suddenly felt possessive; that gorgeous ass was his and no one else would touch him.

"I should be going, Kuran; I have a hunter's meeting tomorrow and I have to buy my books for the semester. I guess I will see you around school?"

"Certainly, Zero, and I hope we can do this again soon" Kaname said smoothly; "I'll have the limo brought round" Kaname called for the limo and walked with Zero out the front door and down to the waiting limo.

"Thanks Kur---Kaname, for everything"

"You're quite welcome, Zero, I will see you soon. Thanks again for the wonderful meal"

Zero stepped into the limo and sped off into the night.

Kaname watched him leave and felt a pang of loneliness. It had been nostalgic to dine with Kiryu and now he had discovered a whole new side of Zero, the side he was going to make his own. He smiled as the thought of the challenge that lay ahead.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Happy Holidays Everyone! I'm off to Kauai for my birthday and Christmas.

Be safe and be loved.

Hana


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